Is airspace blockade against Qatar Airways legal?
I was wondering if an airspace blockade for Qatar Airways to fly over Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE and Bahrain is legal according to international aviation law? Do these countries have the right to block an airline or they are breaking the basic Freedoms of the Air?
QR CEO criticizes the blockade calling it illegal but in my understanding, although it is very unusual situation in air travel, it is perfectly legal for one country to deny the other country/airline to fly over their territory.
Articles of the Chicago Convention say:
Article 1 - Sovereignty: All contracting states recognize that every state has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory.
Article 5 - Rights of non-scheduled flights: Defines a few things but to summarize - Only non-scheduled flights are allowed to fly into or through the airspace of another Contracting State without permission.
Do I get this wrong? What are your opinions on this?